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Valve Releases Source SDK Update, Original TF2 Maps Available

A new post to the official Team Fortress 2 blog states that a selection of the original maps from the popular team-based shooter have now been released into the mod community.

Valve's Dave Riller says that along with an update to the Source SDK which is available via Steam, Lumberyard, Ravine, Badlands, Dustbowl, Granary, Gravelpit, 2Fort, Badwater, Goldrush, and Hydro are all ready for dissection.

For the beginner map makers out there, we hope this gives you an easier entry point by allowing you to alter or edit an existing map, as opposed to being forced to start from scratch. For example, you could start by fine-tuning cover in Goldrush, alter the layout of Granary, or tweak the amount of health and ammo in Gravelpit. Or maybe you just have a ton of ideas on how you think you could improve Hydro or 2Fort. We'd love to see what you come up with.

For the experienced map makers, we hope this gives you a variety of examples of how we design and construct levels, the tools we use to finish the aesthetic/thematic elements, and some specific implementation solutions to performance and networking problems. We also hope that it'll reduce the amount of confusion around the game logic and entity setup required for the various TF game modes.

We're expecting this to boost the quality of homebrewed maps in the not-too-distant future, and Valve also comments that it plans to release more Team Fortress source materials later on down the line.

The remnants of a heavy night of modding.

Bryn says: While I've always shied away from attempting to make maps in pretty much any game I've ever played, there's a certain part of my creative side that is very interested in trying to get something together for Team Fortress 2. I'm lazy, y'see. I'd much rather let someone else figure out how to code up a great map or mod.

Maybe the official TF2 maps will inspire me to give it a whirl. Awww, man. Who am I kidding? 2Fort anyone?